USC tackle Charles Brown, shown here during the UCLA game, is listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, considered the ideal dimensions for an NFL left tackle. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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USC tackle Charles Brown, center, celebrates with Allen Bradford (21), after Bradford scored a touchdown against UCLA. Brown says that when he blocks, he imagines he is protecting a family member from harm. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The tattoo on the USC left tackle's left arm says "Charlie." The one on his right says "Brown." They aren't an ode to the cartoon character. They're a tribute to Charles Brown's dad, who died of liver cancer when his son was a teenager.

Honoring his deceased father – himself a lineman, his career cut short by an Achilles' injury – would be a sufficient storyline for this West Coast version of "The Blind Side." But that isn't where the heartache ends.

Brown's mother suffered two aneurysms when he was a freshman at USC. They left her partially paralyzed. She now lives in a nursing home. Brown's primary guardian is one of his older sisters.

A seven-figure NFL contract could change all that. Brown could move his mom back home. Everyone could live in one big house.

"Everybody together," Brown says proudly. "That would be real nice."

It isn't too far from becoming a reality.

Brown is among the seniors to be recognized Saturday at the Coliseum when USC plays its final regular-season game against Arizona. He is also among the elite prospects for the 2010 NFL draft.

ESPN.com's Scouts Inc. ranks Brown 22nd overall, just five spots behind safety Taylor Mays, his much more famous teammate.

But left tackle isn't necessarily a position where you want to be noticed. About the only time the TV cameras focus on offensive tackles is when they mess up and surrender a sack.

They rarely focus on Brown, who quietly and consistently goes about the business of keeping his quarterback out of harm's way.

EXTENDED FAMILY

As far as Brown is concerned, Matt Barkley is family. When the quarterback drops to pass, Brown imagines his niece or nephew behind him, in need of protection.

"Can't nobody touch them," Brown said. "That's what I think about."

A snapshot from September best illustrates Brown's role as Barkley's bodyguard. As they left Ohio Stadium at the end of USC's Friday walk-through, Barkley strode directly behind Brown with his hands on the lineman's shoulders, the senior lead-blocking for the freshman.

Reaching those shoulders takes some doing. Brown is listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds – ideal dimensions for an NFL left tackle. The converted tight end also possesses many of the athletic traits outlined in "The Blind Side," Michael Lewis' book-turned-movie about the evolution of the left tackle position in modern football.

"He's got a great future ahead of him," USC offensive line coach Pat Ruel said of Brown. "He has size, athletic ability, plus he's got long arms. He knee-bends very easily. Almost every guy (NFL scout) that's come in here has really liked him a lot."

One West Coast scout, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Brown "fits the profile" in every way. The scout said Brown isn't as efficient or as technically sound as former Trojan Sam Baker, who became a first-round pick in 2008. But Brown is a better athlete with a bigger upside.

"It's all ahead of him," the scout said.

GENTLE GIANT

Brown wasn't aware of the earning potential of left tackles when he arrived at USC from Diamond Ranch High of Pomona. He played defensive end and tight end there and began his Trojans career at the latter.

But Ruel and USC coach Pete Carroll envisioned Brown as a left tackle, he trusted in their expertise, and about midway through his redshirt-freshman season he made the switch.

Even if he had some initial reservations about it, Brown isn't the type to make a stink. Off the field he's a classic gentle giant, friendly but quiet.

"Very quiet," fellow lineman Butch Lewis said. "You have to get to know him to get him to open up to you."

Teammates say Brown has a sneaky sense of humor, and it appears in subtle ways. Most Mondays he switches uniforms with Lewis, and in training camp the two teamed up for the traditional prank-calling of newcomers. (Lewis did the talking; Brown sat nearby, trying desperately not to laugh.)

Of course, nothing could make a louder statement than buying a house for his family. Being a caretaker is what playing left tackle is all about.

"I know there's a lot of people in his group that care about him," Ruel said. "He wants to be successful so he can take care of them."

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